Mechanism for actuating change-speed gears



Oct. 23, 1928. 1,689,045

H. MORAN v MECHANISM FOR ACTUATING CHANGE SPEED GEARS Filed 00 0. 192? sSheets5heet 2 5 n: 'e'n'nn l I 1719672 f0 2'. W

Oct. 23, 1928. 1,689,045

H. MORAN MECHANISM FOR 'ACTUATING CHANGE SPEED GEARS Filed Oct. e, 192'!'5 Sheets-Sheet 5 F' .6. 7 80 616 485 I ig N5.

Patented Oct. 23, 1928.

HENRY MORAN, OF LONDON, ENGLAHD.

MECHANISM FOR- AC'IUA'IING CHANGE-SPEED GEAR-S.

Application filed October 6, 1927, Serial No. 224,409, and in GreatBritain October 18, 1926.

This invention is for improvements in or relating to mechanism foractuating change speed gears of that type comprising a plurality ofsliders operatively connected to the gears, and a single gear-changelever which can be moved to engage any one of the sliders and bethereafter given a further movement to cause the selected slider to movein an endwise direction to effect engagement of a selected gear.

An important object of this invention is to provide an improvedconstruction of mechanism for actuating change-speed gears of the typeabove specified con'iprising a selector device so arranged that when itis desired to change the gear from neutral to an engaged position, orfrom one engaged position to another, such change can be arr d for inadvance and then be brought about by operating a single operating devicewhatever the desired new engaged position of the gear may Anotherimportant object of the invention 1s to obviate the to-and-f:-'omovement of the usual manually-operated gear-change lever and tosubstitute therefor a movement in one direction only of a lever, forengaging any desired gear, and a second movement in one direction onlyof a second lever, for restoring the gear to neutral. Conveniently,these two levels will each disengage the clutch between the prime-moverand the gear-box before engaging or neutralizing the gear, and onreturning, for examp e, under the act1on of a s an, to their oriposition will re-enthat clutch.

rlccordinf to an important feature of the invention there is provided inor for a'changespeed gear of the 1e specified, a gear selector, avi(aiding-connectionbetween said selectorand the geld-change leverwhich, upon opera 11 of the selector, urges the said lever to engage orto remain in engagement with a selected slider, connections between saidgearchange lever and a clutch-pedal which, when the edal is moved todisengage the clutch, lid-ers to assume a neutral posich time the saidyielding-connecti s the gear-lever to engage or to remain in engagementwith. the selected slider, and a gear-pedal connected. to saidgearchange lever to shift the latter so as to engage the selected gear.

According to another important feature of the invention. there isprovided for moving the gear-change lever in either direction, a

pair of oppositely moving elementsmovable each from a neutral positioninto two controlling positions corresponding each to a den sired settingof the cl1angespeed gear and operating means (for example, saidgear-pedal) for moving said elementsin opposite direc tions', saidgear-change lever having combined therewith a member which can beconnected to one or other of the said elements when in their neutralposition by the said, yielding connection.

According to a further importantfeature of the invention, theclutch-pedal is connected to said elements to move them to neutralposition after the clutch has been disengaged and wherein a gear-pedalis also combined with the elements to move them from neutral positioninto position to engage the selected gear and also temporarily todisengage the clutch during the engagement of said gear.

according to yet another important feature of the invention, the meansfor movingthe gear-change lever comprises in combination twointerconnected elements whereof one is movable relatively to the otherinto two con trolling positions, which elements in each such positionpermit movement of the gear-change member to one end position and holdit against movement from neutral towards the other end positionrespectively, means (for example, a selector device) for positioningsaid element at will in one or other of its two controlling positions,and operating means (0. g. a single member such as a pedal) which whenmoved in one directiomwill shift said gear-change member from tl eneutral position in accordance with the selected position of saidelements.

Other features of the invention relate to selective mechanism,interconnecting means, connecting device, and operating means aforesaidand will be described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

Two embodiments of the invention are diagrammatically illustrated by wayof example in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is adiagrammatic side elevation partly in section, showing one form ofgearchanging apparatus according to the invention with the gear-changelever in one operative position,

FigureQ is a like view of the same apparatus when the gear-change leverhas been shifted to neutral, and

Figure? is a like view of the apparatus when the gear-change lever hasbeen shifted from neutral to a second operative position;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional end elevation taken on the bent-line 44in Figure l, and

Figure 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 55 in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a side elevation showing another form of gear-changingapparatus according to the invention,

Figure 7 is a sectional end elevation taken on the line 77 in Figure 6,and

Figure 8 is a sectional end elevation taken on the line 8-8 in Figure 6showing the pedals and clutch lever.

Like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring to Figures 1 to 5, the invention will now be described withreference to a change-speed gear on a motorvchicle having a gear-changelever 22 that is mounted between its ends by a ball-joint and isarranged to move in an H-gate, not shown, and shift two sliders 28, 24each from a neutral position into two end positions to provide threespeeds and reverse. Two elements in the form of bars or sliders 20,21are arranged to slide on the gear-box or other convenient part of thevehicle, horizontally one above the other,'towards and away from thelever 22. Assuming that these bars 20, 21 are in front of thegear-change lever 22 to which they can be operatively connected in themanner described hereinafter the front ends ofthese bars are benthorizontally at rightangles to their length to provide lugs 25, 26respectively, as shown in Figure 2. Towards the rear the bars 20, 21have each a connecting point in the form of a recess 27 28 respectively,cut in their adjacent faces.

The two bars are connected together at a point between their ends byinterconnecting or reversing means which may take various forms. Asshown, two slots 29 are provided, one in a lug on the top of the bar 20,and one in a lug at the bottom of the lower bar 21, and a link pivotallymounted in line with the meeting edges of the bars 20, 21 carries twopins 30, 31, one in each slot 29, so that the forward movement of onebar causes a rearward movement of the other. Alternatively theinterconnecting means may comprise a pinion meshing with toothing on thebars formed as toothed racks.

Operating means for shifting the slidingbars 20, 21 will nowbe'described. A single member 40, 41 in the form of a pedal, hereinafterreferred to as a neutral pedal. is fill crumed at 42 below the'front endof the bars 20, 21 and has a longer upstanding arm 40 and a shorter arm41 at right angles thereto arranged to co-operate with a clutch-lever 43on a clutch-shaft 44 for operating the clutch of the transmissionmechanism with the vehicle. The arm 40 has at the level of the meetingedges of the bars 20, 21 a vertical slot in which a pin 45 is movable.This pin 45 is carried by-a link 46 pivoted to the shorter arm 48 of alever 47, 48 which is in the form of a pedal, hereinafter referred to asa gear-pedal, and is fulcrumed on the neutral pedal at 49. Thegear-pedal is held in its normal position, wherein the pin 45 isopposite the lug 25, by a coil spring 50 at tached at one end to theneutral pedal and at lts other end to the arm 48. lVhen this gear-pedalis rocked against the action of its spring by placing a foot on thelonger arm 47 the pin 45 is lowered so as to lie opposite the lug 26 onthe lower bar 21.

A connecting device in the form of selector niechanisn'i is arrangedoperatively to connect at will one or other of the connecting points orrecesses 27, 28 in its neutral position with the gear-change lever 22.As illustrated, this selector mechanism coinprizi'es a.manually-operable crank 52 preferably provided with. arresting means,for tiannale of the kind described hereinafter, for arresting it at willin any one of four positions situated apart one from another. Thecrank-pin 53 pivotally carries the upper on d of a vertical fiat spring54 shown as a com wound spring carrying a solid block near the middle ofits length, which spring is pivotally connected at its lower end to asubstan tially horizontal flat-spring 56 also shown as a compoundspring, at a point between its ends, preferably near the middle of itslength. This lower spring 56 has one end pivotally connected to thegear-change lever 22 and carries its other end a pin 57 which in upperposition of the springs 54, 56 can enter the recess 27 in the upper bar20, and in the lower position of the said springs can enter the recess28 in the lower bar. These springs 54, 56 are arranged to flex atrightangles to one another; the upper spring 54 is movable up and downand also to-anrhfro about a guide pin 58 extending .hrough the slot 59in the block 55, and the lower spring 56 can rock bodily up and downabout the upper end of the gear-change lever as a 'liulcrum so that thepin 57 can move up or down from one recess to the other. andthe spring56 can also move horizontally about either of the recesses 27. 28fulcrum and thereby rock the gear-hange lever from either of its two neu.ral positions into the other.

lVhen the crank 52 is rotated, the upper end of the spring 54 will bereciprocated and flexed, and will move the lower spring 56 up,

or down or sideways according to the part the circular path which thecrank pin 53 is travelling. Assuming that the sliding bars 20, 21 are intheir neutral posit on. the crank-pin 53 moves towards the. ride-- pin58, the lower spring 56 will he moved into engagement with the lower bar21. Further Inn two end positions aforesaid. The lower end of the spring54% can be flexed horizontally so as to move the disc 60 bodily in thedirection of its shaft 62 into one or other neutral position of thegearchange lever 22 for en gaging one or other of the sliders 23, 24:according to the position of the crank-pin 53.

The neutral pedal 71 is mounted on a sleeve 90 journalled on an axle 91mounted parallel with the clutch shaft 44. The gear pedal 72 is fast onone end of this axle 91. The clutch lever 43 is connected by a link 92to one arm 93 of a lever 93, 94 that is fulcrumed on the axle 91 betweenthe two pedals 71, 72 This arm 94 carries a cross-head95 so arrangedthat when either of the pedals 71, 7 2 is rocked from its normalposition in one direction to the limit of its movement the arm 9-1 isrocked and also the clutch-lever 43 so as to disengage the clutch. Faston the other end of the axle 91 is a lever-arm 96 that is engaged by apin-and-slotconnection with the gear-rod whilst fast on the adjacent endof the sleeve 90 is an arm 97 that is engaged by a pin-and-slotconnection with the neutral rod 69.

Assuming that it is desired to change gear from one ratio to another, sothat the slider 23 is moved from its one end posit-ion to the other, thecrank-pin 53 will be moved downwards through 90, and on pressing the neutral pedal 71 the gear-change lever 22 will be placed into neutral,whereupon the slotted plate 61 will be lifted, so that the pin '77 liesopposite the slot 67. If the gear pedal 7 2 is now depressed, the disc60 will be rotated and shift the slider 23 to its other end position.The clutch will have been disengaged temporarily when either pedal isdepressed explained above. If the gear-change lever 22 is to be broughtinto engagement with the slider 24:, the crank-pin 53 will have been setto such a position that on depressing the new tral pedal 71 the shaft 62will move endwise so that the lever 22 will move across the gate andcome opposite the slider 24.

In this construction shown. in Figures 6, 7 and 8 the slotted plate 61is preferably accommodated between two discs 60, 98 into which the threepins extend. It will be ob served that in this construction the neutralpedal is extended beyond its axis of rotation and is there connected tothe plate 61, that both pedals 71 and 7 are pusned in order to changethe gear. The plate 61 preferably carries a rod 99 guided at its endremote from the plate by a slot slidahle on the axle 91 be tween therods 69 and 70, but some other to) n of guiding means for the plate maybe provided if de ired.

Both of t c constructions of gear-changing mechanism described above areparticularly adapted for use in conjunction with mechanism forregulating the speed of an engins of a vehicle relatively to the roadspeed,

preparatory to changing gear, for example, speed-regulating mechanismdescribed in my prior patentapplication aforesaid. The speed-regulatingmechanism would be thrown into action by the neutral pedal when fullydepressed after disengaging the gear. it would remain in action so as toadjust the gear-shaft (driven by the engine through the clutch) to thecorrect engagement speed. It would then be thrm *n out of action by thegear-pedal at the end of its movement engaging the gear. The setting forthe speed of the engine speed-regulating device can be effected bymechanism co ccted to the selector device crank-shaft in order that theappro priate enginespeed for each gear may be v chosen in connectionwiththe road speed of the vehicle. If a cam is employed it would rotate inunison with the selector device crank-shaft.

In both of the constructions described above-the gear-change lever isset by means of two operations, namely, by moving the in either gearslider can be engaged through the usual gate by means of theabove-described control mechanism comprising what may be termeda secondgate and by moving the gear-pedal in the same direction whereby one orother slider can be moved in one direction or the opposite direction asre quired; the said second gate determines in which direction theengaged slider shall be moved. The selection of the position of thegear-change lever in the usual gate and the adjustment of the secondgate may be made when the changespeed gear is engaged, but change ofthis position and adjustment in either gate can only be effected whenboth of these gates are restored to neutral by operating the neutralpedal.

Various modifications may be made in the details of constructiondescribed above without departing from thescope of the invention. Forexample, hand-levers may be substitutcd for pedals. Moreover, in thecase of a four-speed and reverse gearbox having 'hree sliders, theselector nu y be arranged to choose one gear-slider for first andreverse, another for second and third, and. another for the fourthgears.

I claim 1. In gear-selecting mechanism of the character described, thecombination with a plurality of sliders for controlling the gears, and asingle gear-change lever adapted .to be moved to engage any one of thesliders, of a clutch pedal. connections between the gearchange lever andsaid clutch-peda which r store the sliders to neutral position uponmovement of the clutclrpedal to disengage the clutch, a gear selectordevice adapted to be operated to select a gear before the clutch isdisengaged, a yielding connection between said selector device and thegear-change lever wl ich urges the gear-lever to engage or to remain inengagement with a selected slider when the sliders are in neutralposition, and a lever connected to said gear-change lever to shift thelatter thereafter to engage the selected gear. e

2. In gear-selecting mechanism of the character described, thecombination with a plurality of sliders for controlling the gears and asingle gear-change lever'adapted to be moved to engage any one ot thesliders, 01 a clutch pedal, connections between the gearchange lever andsaid clutch-pedal which restore the sliders to neutral position uponmovement of the clutch-pedal to disengage the clutch, a gear selectordevice adapted to be operated to select a gear before the clutch isdisengaged, a yielding connection between said selector device andthegear-change lever which urges the gear-lever to engage or to remainin engagement with a selected slider when the sliders are in neutralposition, and alever connected to said gear-change lever to shift thelatter thereafter to engage the selected gear and connections betweensaid lever and the clutch to disengage the latter during engagement ofthe selected gear.

3. In gear selecting mechanism of the character described, thecombination with a plurality of sliders for controlling the gears, and asingle gear-change lever adapted to be moved to engage any one of thesliders, of elements which are adapted each to be connected to thegear-change lever, means for moving the said elements in oppositedirections to restore the sliders to neutral position when the clutch isdisengaged, a. gear selector device adapted to be operated to select agear before the clutch is disengaged, a yielding connection between saidselector device and the gear-change lever which urges the said lever toengage or to remain in en gagement with a selected slider when thesliders are in neutral position, means controlled by the said yieldingconnection for connecting the gear-change lever to a chosen one of saidelements when the sliders are in neutral position, and means for movingthe said elements from neutral position into position to engage aselected gear.

4. In a change-speed gearof the character described, the combinationwith a plurality of sliders for controlling the gears, and a singlegear-change lever adapted to be moved to engage any one of the sliders.of a clutch pedal, a pair of elements which are each adapted to beconnected to the gear-change lever, and which are movable by theclutchpedal in opposite directions to restore the sliders to neutralposition when the pedal is moved to disengage the clutch, a gearselector device adapted to be operated to select a gear before theclutch is disengaged, a yielding connection between said selector deviceand the gear-change lever which urges the said lever to engage or toremain in engagement with a selected slider when the sliders are inneutral position, means controlled by the said yielding connection forconnecting the gear-change lever to a chosen one of the saidoppositely-moving elements, and a gearpedal connected to said elementsfor moving said gear-change lever from neutral position into position toengage the selected gear.

5. In a change-speed gear of the character described, the combinationwith a plurality of sliders for controlling the gears and a singlegear-change lever adapted to be moved to engage any one 01 the sliders,of a clutchpedal, a pair of elements which are each adapted to beconnected to the gear-change lever and which are movable by theclutchpedal in opposite directions to restore the sliders to neutralposition whenthe pedal is moved to disengage the clutch, a gear selectordevice adapted to. be operated to select a gear before the clutch isdisengaged, a yielding connection between said selector device and thegear-change lever which urges the said lever to engage or to remain inengagement with a selected slider when the sliders are in neutralposition, connecting-means controlled by the said yielding connectionfor connecting the gear-change lever to a chosen one of the saidoppositely moving ele ments, a lever connected to said elements formoving said gear change lever from neutral position into position toengage the selected gear, and connections between said lever and theclutch to disengage the latter during the engagement of the selectedgear.

6. In a change-speed gear of the character described, the combinationwith a plurality of sliders for controlling the gears and asinglegear-change lever adapted to be moved to engage any one of thesliders, of a clutch-pedal, a pair of parallel bars which .areeachadapted to be connected to the gear-change lever, are mounted one besidethe other, and are so operatively connected together as to cause them tomove in opposite directions, connections between said bars and theclutch-pedal for moving said bars to restore the sliders to neutralposition when the pedal is moved to disengage the clutch, a gearselector adapted to be operated to select a gear before the clutch isdisengaged, a yielding connection between said selector and thegear-change lever which urges the said gear-change lever to engage or toremain in'engage'ment with a selected slider when the sliders are inneutral position, connecting-means controlled by said yieldingconnection for connecting the gear-change lever to a chosen one of saidoppositely moving bars, and a lever connected to said bars for movingthe gear-change lever from neutral position into position to engage theselected gear.

7. In a change-speed gear of the character described, the combinationwith a plurality I Uh of sliders for controlling the gears in a singlegear-change lever adapted to be moved to engage any one of the sliders,of a clutchpedal, a pair of parallel bars, which are adapted to beconnected to the gear-change lever and are mounted one beside the other,a pivoted link having its ends connected one to each bar, connectionsbetween said bars and the clutch-pedal for moving said bars to restorethe sliders to neutral position when the pedal is moved to disengage theclutch, a gear selector adapted to be operated to select a gear beforethe clutch is disengaged, a yielding connection between said selectorand the gear-change lever which urges the said gearchange lever toengage or to remain in en ga'gement with a selected slider when thesliders are in neutral position, connecting means controlled by saidyielding connection for connecting the gear-change lever to a chosen oneof said bars, a second pedal fulcrumed on the clutch-pedal and acting,when depressed, to disengage the clutch and move the said bars torestore the gear from neutral 1 position into position to engage theselected ear.

{3 8. In a change-speed gear of the character described, the combinationwith a plurality'of sliders for controlling the gears and a singlegear-change lever adapted to be moved to engage any one of the sliders,of a clutch-pedal, a pair of parallel bars which are each adapted to beconnected to the ear-change lever, and are mounted to slide one abovethe other and are so operativcly connected together as to cause them tomove in opposite directions, an abutment on each of said bars, anassociated abutment movably carried by the clutch-pedal and adapted,upon movement of the clutchpedal to disengage the clutch, to engage theabutment on the upper bar and cause the sliders to assume a neutralposition, a gear selector adapted to be operated to select a gear beforethe clutch is disengaged, a yielding connection between said selectorand the gearchange lever which urges the said lever to engage or toremain in engagement with a selected slider when the sliders are inneutral position, connecting means controlled by said yieldingconnection for connecting the gearchange lever to a chosen one of saidopposite ly moving bars, and a second pedal that is connected with saidassociated abutment and is fulcrumed on the clutch-pedal and acts, whendepressed, to move the latter abutment to cause it to act upon the lowerbar to restore the gear from neutral position into position to engagethe selected gear.

9. In a change-speed gear of the character described, the combination ofa rotary gear selector, a flexible link connected towards one end tosaid rotary gear selector and; adapted to be connected towards itsopposite end to a gear controlling member and a guide-mer her for saidflexible link positioned intermediate the ends of said link, which guidemember constitutes a fulcrum for said link and also allows the link tomove endwise during the rotary movement of the said gear selector.

10. In a change-speed gear of the character described, the combinationof a rotary gearselector, a crank pin thereon, a flexible link securedat one end thereto, a pivot for the re silient link which has a pin andslot connec tion therewith, a flexible bar operatively con nected to theother end of said link for connection at one end to a gear-change leverand at its other end to either element of a pair of sliding elements.

11. In a change-speed gear or" the character described, the combinationof a rotary selector, a slidable and oscillatory link of flexiblestructure connected thereto, a flexible bar for connection at one end toa gear-lever and connected between its ends to said link, a pair ofoppositely sliding elements that are operable by means of a pedal andhave each a recess, and a pin carried by the said flexible bar and urgedby the said link into the recess in one of the sliding elements when thesaid recesses are brought into register by relative movement of the saidelements.

In testimony whereof I aiilx my signature.

HENRY MORAN.

